


By Her Side

by lesbianiconjasontodd



Category: Dress Up! Time Princess, Dress Up! Time Princess (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Gen, No Spoilers, definitely won't make sense if you don't play the game though, just generic fluff guys, no editing we die like men, no historical accuracy here no sir, no violence or murder or angst in sight, which is a big step for this writer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:21:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28587933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbianiconjasontodd/pseuds/lesbianiconjasontodd
Summary: A morning stroll in Versailles.
Relationships: Marie Antoinette/Gabrielle Polignac (Dress Up! Time Princess)
Kudos: 22





	By Her Side

Gabrielle knew Marie Antoinette like her own self, like the faded reflection staring back at her from the duck pond, and the young woman with the troubled eyes and quiet hands sitting by her side was certainly not Marie Antoinette.

She looked like her, down to the finest details, and her movements and speech mirrored her dear friend’s memory, but she lacked the simple joy of pretty things, the carefree laughter, the sly smiles shared with friends behind fluttering fans. It was Marie, but through a lens. She’d been like this for weeks now and Gabrielle felt powerless to decipher her long silences to discover her ailment.

Today, Marie had asked for only Gabrielle’s company on her morning walk. The pair wandered the massive grounds around Versailles with few words between them, breathing in the cool autumn air. From the corner of her eye, the duchess took in the strange calm that had settled across her friend’s features in the course of the morning.

“You’re staring, dearest,” the queen said suddenly.

Gabrielle flushed pink, her gaze snapping away in embarrassment. “Forgive me, your majesty, I was only--”

“You were trying to figure out what’s wrong with me,” she interrupted. No malice or mockery colored her tone, her words plain and uninterested. “I’ve noticed you noticing. Am I wrong?”

“You...have not seemed yourself,” she admitted.

Marie smiled, looking up at the light filtering through the trees. “I suppose you’re right. I’ve been thinking quite a bit about the future and how I might change things for France. You’ve heard what the people call me?”

The duchess knew.  _ Madame Deficit, _ the commoners whispered.  _ She’ll be the undoing of France. _ Gabrielle did her best to ignore such gossip, but it was only a matter of time before those whispers reached Her Majesty’s ears. She rushed to her defense. “They don’t understand what it takes to live a life like yours; if they only knew you as I do--”

“That may be the problem itself,” she pointed out. “My mother told me I should be an angel to the French people, yet they barely know me beyond rumors and scandals. How can I be their angel when I do nothing but compound their troubles?”

“You are not the cause of their troubles. What more can you do than is already being done?” Gabrielle gripped her hand in hers, searching her eyes for the right words to put her mind at ease. Is this what had brought such a change to her friend these past weeks? How had she missed it? What sort of friend was she to not have seen her struggling with this burden?

Marie squeezed her hand back, finally looking her in the eyes with a soft smile. “What more indeed,” she hummed. “I have such ideas, Gabrielle, so many changes I want to make for our future and our people’s happiness. The court is going to think I’ve lost my mind, but I truly hope I can make life better for those in my care.” She hesitated, looking uncharacteristically unsure of herself. “Would you help me?” she asked almost shyly, but the hopeful gleam in her eyes gave her away.

Gabrielle nodded earnestly. “There is nothing I would love more,” she insisted. “What should we do first?”

“I think my husband and I have much to discuss before any of that talk. For now, I’d just like to enjoy a morning with my dearest friend.”

The duchess nodded and her fears shifted to the back of her mind as the pair gazed ahead, continuing their walk in the dappled sunlight, still holding tight to each other’s hand. For all her worries about the sudden change in the queen, Marie’s friendship remained a treasured constant that Gabrielle knew would last until death did they part.


End file.
